Crack Climbing Guide: 7 Types of Crack Climbing Jams

Crack climbing is a rock climbing process by which mountaineers and climbers utilize cracks in a crag or cliffside to make upward progress. Crack climbers focus on “jamming” (sliding their hands, feet, or other body parts into cracks to gain leverage through constriction). This is in contrast to face climbing, wherein those who are mountaineering climb by using outcroppings or larger features of rock faces to make their ascent.

Jams are the various holds and grips essential to crack climbing. Here are seven of the most common:

1. 1. Finger jam: To finger jam, assess the size of a finger crack (a crack wide enough to accommodate just your fingers as opposed to your entire hands) in comparison to your own finger size. You may be able to fit an index finger, a pinky, or multiple appendages. Wedge whatever you can into the crack to create a finger lock for leverage.
2. 2. Fist jam: If you notice a more circular crack in the rock’s surface, try out a fist jam. To affix yourself in one of these fist cracks, force your clenched fist into the hole deep and tightly enough that you can lift yourself up by your legs and elbows without fear of slipping out.
3. 3. Foot jam: You’ll need to keep an eye out for foot jam opportunities as you crack climb since your footwork does so much to propel you upward. You’ll rarely have an opportunity to plant your feet on a ledge while crack climbing, so you’ll need to turn them sideways, lodge them in the crack, and move upward as if your pinky toe was the bottom of your foot.
4. 4. Hand jam: The difference between a finger jam and a hand jam can sometimes just be the difference between whether you have thin hands or wide hands. If you find a crack wide enough to accommodate most of your left hand, right hand, or both (a hand crack), slide your hands in with your thumbs up against your palms to press against the edge of the crack on both sides. This is the perfect hand placement for staying steady and locked into the crack.
5. 5. Off-width jam: Off-width cracks—wider cracks capable of accommodating more of your limbs than just your extremities—can accommodate a host of off-width jams. Ascertain how wide the cracks are and what would be best to continue your ascent. Place your arms, legs, or other body parts into these cracks and move upward accordingly.
6. 6. Squeeze chimney jam: Squeeze chimney jams present themselves when you come across a crack in the rock wide enough to accommodate your entire body. Climbing this sort of crack is like climbing in the interior of a chimney, hence the name. Stemming—placing opposite limbs on either side of a crack—makes for easier climbing in this scenario. Wide splitter cracks—almost perfectly parallel cracks in a rock face—are a great opportunity to utilize squeeze chimney jams.
7. 7. Toe jam: In order to initiate a toe jam, decide whether you can fit just one toe (preferably your big toe for the most power) or multiple toes into a crack. Use this leverage to continue climbing up the crag.

It takes a lot of factors to excel at crack climbing. Here are four important tips to help improve your crack climbing technique:

1. 1. Ensure safety. Crack climbing is a challenging type of rock climbing, so ensuring maximum safety is essential. Make sure to place gear solidly as you make your ascent—a process known as camming. Strongly consider doing your first crack climb on a rock face with this sort of climbing gear already placed. Make sure whoever belays your top rope—or holds you in place as you climb—is capable and experienced.
2. 2. Mix and match climbing styles. You can use other climbing styles beyond just crack climbing to reach the top of the rock wall. You can still make use of face holds and plant yourself on more convenient outcroppings rather than just utilize cracks and indentures in the rock as you ascend. You can also decide whether you’d like to take an approach more in line with trad climbing (traditional climbing, in which you place gear yourself as you climb) or sport climbing (climbing a slope with pre-attached gear).
3. 3. Get the right climbing gear. Crack climbing is an arduous endeavor, so the right gear and apparel are necessary. Climbing shoes and gloves are essential to the process. Some climbers tape their hands in place of wearing crack gloves. Whether you use official climbing or makeshift athletic tape gloves, hand protection can prevent your hands from getting cut up by the rocks.
4. 4. Work your way up slowly. Before you take on the steeper rock faces in Yosemite, California, or Indian Creek, Utah, consider joining a rock climbing gym to get some experience with the process. If you want to begin your rock climbing journey outdoors, there are a multitude of smaller rock faces and experienced teachers who can help you get acclimated to the process slowly and safely.

Climbing is a high-impact activity with an elevated risk of serious injury. Practice, proper guidance, and extensive safety precautions are essential when attempting a climbing pursuit. This article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional instruction or guidance.

Take your climbing mastery to new heights with the MasterClass Annual Membership and exclusive video lessons from Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell, two of the world’s most accomplished climbers. Together they’ll help you get a grasp on climbing holds, balance, footwork, and more, plus teach you the ins and outs of ethical outdoor exploration.